Habitual lateness, commonly known as ‘African time’, has been identified to inhibit social and national growth.
A cross section of Lagos residents disclosed this and more in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday.
NAN reports that Mr Francis Dare, Chief Administration Officer, National Institute of Cultural Orientation (NICO), gave a background insight into the habit, practised by many Africans, including Nigerians.
He said Africans didn’t originally use timepieces such as clocks and wristwatches to monitor time or discharge their daily activities.
According to him, Nigerians used natural and traditional methods, including shadows, cockcrows and sounds of certain insects to ascertain time.
Dare, however, said these methods, though culturally significant, did not evolve into strict adherence to time for Africans now living in the era of technology and clocks.
He noted that punctuality fostered both personal and business relationships and that many opportunities had been gotten by arriving somewhere on time.
He cautioned against the habit, adding that many people had also lost good opportunities, contracts and relationships due to the African-time notion.
“You can’t do that with the Japanese, for instance.
“Their philosophy about time is top-notch. For a one o’clock appointment, ten minutes to one o’clock, they are there waiting for you,” he said.
Dare called for a nationwide reorientation toward punctuality to make Nigeria more productive.
He recommended a grassroots approach to change this cultural misnomer, starting with individuals and families.
According to him, institutions such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and news agencies have crucial roles in disseminating these messages.
Dare advised that the engagements should be in all the local languages, not only in English, to reach a broader audience.
He described it as a sharp practice that could lead to corruption in many institutions.
The administrator said punctuality and proper time management were essential for societal progress, urging institutions not to allow tardiness to fester in their organisations.
He called for stricter disciplinary measures and enforcement within the public services to curb the habit.
“Authorities should monitor the attendance of staff more closely and issue penalties for lateness. Time is money. It doesn’t wait for anybody.
“Encouraging African time encourages corruption,” he said.
An executive assistant in an undisclosed organisation, Ololade Olawunmi, says when people fail to do things at the stipulated time, it causes inefficiencies and delays in corporate procedures.
To emphasise how the syndrome affects business, she shared an experience of a meeting organised by some Chinese stakeholders to provide importers with scalability training.
“Only 10 of the 30 guests arrived on time with others coming in after their scheduled time,” she said.
Olawunmi, therefore, urged Nigerians to set realistic expectations and clear communication to curb this habit.
Mr Charles Nnabuike, a public servant, described tardiness as a social threat affecting all facets of life, not only the workplace.
Nnabuike said the issue could be addressed, starting from the family, the smallest unit of the society.
He, therefore, urged parents to imbibe the values of punctuality in their children by teaching them the consequences of lateness. (NAN)
